Writing John Purser has published a number of books including the seminal book with accompanying radio programmes, Scotland's Music, more on which can be found here. Other publications include important critical works on Jack B. Yeats, and Erik Chisholm, as well as a wealth of essays and articles. Purser's creative writings include four books of his own critically acclaimed poetry - The Counting Stick, A Share of the Wind, and Amoretti. His new and collected poems - There is No Night was published by Kennedy & Boyd in 2014.Of his six radio plays, Carver was published along with the Giles Cooper award-winning plays of 1992.More information can be found in the drop-down menu.Purser's first book on matters musical was a commission from BBC Scotland to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, entitled Is The Red Light On?. Review of Is the Red Light On, The Story of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scotland 1987.

"Purser is a wordsmith with a rich turn of phrase. He also tells a good tale. Additionally, he traces the history of the development of the orchestra (always a potentially deadly trawl through a tedium of statistics) through what he describes as “the real rather than official world.” . . . a warm and entertaining portrait of the human face of an orchestra.” Michael Tumelty, The Glasgow Herald 1987